Australia secured a convincing 10-wicket victory over the West Indies in the first Test match at Adelaide Oval wrapping up the game inside three days. The win was built on a dominant bowling performance with Josh Hazlewood leading the charge with 9 wickets across the match. Travis Head’s magnificent century in the first innings provided a crucial platform for the Aussies.
What a week in Adelaide! Great vibes for a great win. Next stop, Brissy!
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 19, 2024
Tickets 🎟️: https://t.co/15SB5UgB2x pic.twitter.com/UHXE8iv3bI
Here are the key highlights of the match:
- Australia Batting: Head’s 119 (134) anchored the Australian innings with Usman Khawaja (45) and Marnus Labuschagne (10) providing valuable support. The Aussies posted a total of 283 in their first innings.
- West Indies Batting: The West Indies batting struggled throughout the match failing to reach triple figures in either innings. Shamar Joseph making his Test debut was the only bright spot with scores of 36 (41) and 15 (12). They were dismissed for 188 and 120 in their two innings.
- Australian Bowling: Hazlewood was the undisputed star of the show with his 5-37 in the first innings and 4-35 in the second. Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon also chipped in with important wickets.
- Shamar Joseph’s Debut: Despite the West Indies’ struggles Joseph’s debut performance was a positive takeaway. He impressed with both bat and ball taking 5 wickets and scoring valuable runs.
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The win gives Australia a strong early lead in the two-Test series. The next Test will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane starting on January 25th.
Post Match Reactions
Pat Cummins (Australian captain): “A fantastic Test match. Travis Head arranged it for us and Hazlewood was on fire. “He finished it in just one spell.”
Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies captain): “We didn’t bat well in either innings. It’s critical for them to learn quickly. Shamar Joseph is a high-energy individual with excellent vision and skills. “He did a good job.”
Travis Head (Player of the Match): “It was challenging at times but I’m glad I had the experience. It’s nice to get in some runs this summer. “Great turnout; I hope everyone had a good time.”
Josh Hazlewood: “It’s nice to have the weekend off.” It was enjoyable to bowl on a wicket like that. Hazlewood praised Shamar Joseph’s impressive debut and expressed excitement.
Looking Ahead:
The next Test between Australia and the West Indies will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane, starting on January 25th.